What is the best Saab 9-5 Sedan for fuel economy?

The strongest year was 2011 at 24 mpg combined, against 20 mpg in 2007. That is a 4 mpg spread across the nameplate's history.

How much does a Saab 9-5 Sedan cost to fuel each year?

At 11,500 miles a year the 2012 model uses between 479 and 575 gallons, or $1,677 to $2,013 at $3.50 a gallon.

What does the Saab 9-5 Sedan emit?

EPA reports 370.2916666666667 to 444.35 grams of tailpipe CO2 per mile for the 2012 model year, or about 4.3 to 5.1 tons over a year of driving.

Saab 9-5 Sedan MPG by year — every rating on record

The Saab 9-5 Sedan has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 6 model years, from 2007 to 2012. Across those years its best rated version returned 24 mpg (2011) and its thirstiest returned 20 mpg (2007). The EPA record holds 13 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Midsize Cars.

24best combined mpg (2011)

20worst combined mpg (2007)

24latest year best (2012)

13configurations on record

Year-by-year EPA ratings

Model year	Configurations	Best combined	Worst combined	Class rank that year	Drivetrains	Fuel	EPA class
2007	2	21 mpg	20 mpg	#32 of 68 (54th pct)	Front-Wheel Drive	Premium	Midsize Cars
2008	2	21 mpg	20 mpg	#35 of 70 (51th pct)	Front-Wheel Drive	Premium	Midsize Cars
2009	2	21 mpg	20 mpg	#38 of 66 (43th pct)	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	Midsize Cars
2010	1	20 mpg	20 mpg	#47 of 63 (26th pct)	All-Wheel Drive	Premium	Midsize Cars
2011	3	24 mpg	20 mpg	#34 of 71 (53th pct)	All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive	Regular, Gasoline or E85	Midsize Cars
2012	3	24 mpg	20 mpg	#39 of 76 (49th pct)	Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive	Gasoline or E85, Regular	Midsize Cars

Where it has stood in its class

Ranked against every other nameplate the EPA filed under the same class that year. The Saab 9-5 Sedan placed highest in 2007 at #32 of 68, and lowest in 2010 at #47 of 63. It spent 3 of its 6 ranked years in the top half of its class.

Every configuration on record

All 13 configurations EPA lists for this nameplate, newest first.

Year	Configuration	Engine detail	City	Highway	Combined	Gallons/yr	Barrels/yr	EPA fuel cost/yr	CO2 g/mi	GHG
2012	2.8L 6-cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Regular	2.8L 6-cyl, turbocharged	17	26	20	575.0	14.9	$3,100	444.35	n/a
2012	2.0L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Gasoline or E85	SIDI; FFV, turbocharged, FFV	18	28	21	547.6	14.2	$2,950	423.1904761904762	n/a
2012	2.0L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Gasoline or E85	SIDI; FFV, turbocharged, FFV	20	32	24	479.2	12.4	$2,600	370.2916666666667	n/a
2011	2.8L 6-cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Regular	2.8L 6-cyl, turbocharged	17	27	20	575.0	14.9	$3,100	444.35	n/a
2011	2.0L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Gasoline or E85	SIDI; FFV, turbocharged, FFV	18	28	21	547.6	14.2	$2,950	423.1904761904762	n/a
2011	2.0L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd Gasoline or E85	SIDI; FFV, turbocharged, FFV	20	32	24	479.2	12.4	$2,600	370.2916666666667	n/a
2010	2.8L 6-cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) Premium	2.8L 6-cyl, turbocharged	16	27	20	575.0	14.9	$3,900	444.35	n/a
2009	2.3L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S5) Regular	2.3L 4-cyl, turbocharged	17	27	20	575.0	14.9	$3,100	444.35	n/a
2009	2.3L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Regular	2.3L 4-cyl, turbocharged	18	27	21	547.6	14.2	$2,950	423.1904761904762	n/a
2008	2.3L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S5) Premium	2.3L 4-cyl, turbocharged	17	26	20	575.0	14.9	$3,900	444.35	n/a
2008	2.3L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium	2.3L 4-cyl, turbocharged	18	28	21	547.6	14.2	$3,700	423.1904761904762	n/a
2007	2.3L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S5) Premium	2.3L 4-cyl, turbocharged	17	27	20	575.0	14.9	$3,900	444.35	n/a
2007	2.3L 4-cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd Premium	2.3L 4-cyl, turbocharged	18	28	21	547.6	14.2	$3,700	423.1904761904762	n/a

How the rating has moved between model years

Comparing the best-rated configuration of each year. 1 of 2 year-over-year steps improved the top rating.

Change	Best combined	Delta	Gallons a year at the newer rating
2009 → 2010	21 → 20 mpg	-1 mpg	575 gal
2010 → 2011	20 → 24 mpg	+4 mpg	479 gal

What 9-5 Sedan fuel costs over a year

At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 2012 Saab 9-5 Sedan burns 479 to 575 gallons depending on configuration. Below is what that costs at three pump prices, and how much more the thirstiest configuration costs than the most efficient one.

Pump price	Most efficient	Thirstiest	Spread
$3.00/gal	$1,438	$1,725	$288
$3.50/gal	$1,677	$2,013	$335
$4.00/gal	$1,917	$2,300	$383

EPA’s own estimate for the 2012 model year is $2,600 to $3,100 a year in fuel, or $3,500 more than the average new vehicle over five years.

How it compares with other Midsize Cars

Across the 483 nameplates EPA classifies as Midsize Cars, the median best combined rating is 25 mpg. At 24 mpg the Saab 9-5 Sedan is 1 mpg below the median, which is worth about $67 a year at $3.50 a gallon.

All Midsize Cars rankings — every nameplate in the class, best to worst.

Other Saab nameplates

Every Saab model compared → — all nameplates ranked by best combined rating, with what each one costs a year.